Money

After the recent capitulation in the equity market, an asset manager who is in charge of preserving his boss' capital was taking the temperature of the aircraft business. He was doing so at least partly because he saw a correlation-though admittedly not a clear or definitive one-between the appetite for corporate jets and the overall health of the economy.

What you'll pay for air charter varies not only by aircraft but by region. Here are the average per-hour rates for popular aircraft nationally and in the Southwest U.S., now and a year ago. Look for price data for other parts of the country in future issues.

Bigger isn't always better, which is one reason many attendees like the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE), which takes place in Switzerland each May. They see it as a scaled-down version of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention that is held annually in the U.S.

What you'll pay for air charter varies not only by aircraft but by region. Here are the average per-hour rates for popular aircraft nationally and in the Northwest U.S., now and a year ago. Look for price data for other parts of the country in future issues.

Don't leave home without it-not if you want simple, guaranteed access to a business jet at a reasonable hourly rate. That's the pitch that has driven the rapid growth of jet card programs. Almost a dozen national companies, including the major fractional and charter fleet providers, now offer these cards. Numerous smaller charter companies also provide jet cards.

Alone, in their 50-seat commercial jet, the two young pilots decided to see what [the Bombardier CRJ200] could do," reported The New York Times in an article titled, "Just Before Dying, a Thrill at 41,000 Feet." The article described how the pilots took the aircraft up to its altitude limit of 41,000 feet.

At a dinner party recently, the subject turned to private jets and someone asked, "If you could have any jet, which would you pick?" Someone else blurted out, "an F-16," and everyone laughed. If you think about it, an F-16 might well give you a decided advantage over business rivals, but it would likely also raise a few concerns.

What you'll pay for air charter varies not only by aircraft but by region. Here are the average per-hour rates for popular aircraft nationally and in the North Central U.S., now and a year ago. Look for price data for other parts of the country in future issues.

A few years ago, I was surprised to receive a call from an analyst at UBS, the global financial services firm, who asked me general questions about the used-jet market. Since then, this analyst has broadened his research, and he now regularly polls the players in the field, including brokers and dealers.

What you'll pay for air charter varies not only by aircraft but by region. Here are the average per-hour rates for popular aircraft nationally and in the South Central U.S., now and a year ago. Look for price data for other parts of the country in future issues.